On the morning of the 5th, we started at 5 o’clock, our regiment being at once deployed as skirmishers on the left of the Brigade. Our cavalry videttes soon met the enemy and had quite a skirmish; they falling back to near a little town called Piedmont, about nine miles from our camp of the night previous. The 123d was soon placed along the wagon train as guard. About 10 o’clock A. M.; our force attacked the enemy in their position, which was a strong one; a heavy fight was kept up until 3 o’clock P. M., when a furious charge was made by both Brigades of infantry, completely driving them out of their works, routing them thoroughly, and capturing one thousand two hundred prisoners, among whom was Gen. Vaughn. Rebel General Jones was killed. The loss on both sides was very great, both Union and Rebel dead being found side by side all over the field. The 123d was ordered up just at the close of the action, but not in time to participate. Early next morning company A was sent out to the battlefield to gather up and destroy the arms lying there, some one thousand two hundred stands. While engaged in the performance of this duty, under the direction of the Provost Marshal General, by piling them up in large piles, first a tier of rails, then one of muskets, muzzles all pointing one way, for many of them were loaded, and although the men had been repeatedly cautioned by Capt. Chamberlin and Lieut. Husted, not to go in front of the piles, Sergeant Baroff incautiously did so; at this moment one of the pieces was discharged by a rail thrown on the pile, the ball passing nearly through his right leg, half way between the knee and hip, shattering the bone very badly and rendering amputation imperatively necessary. He was at once taken back to the Field Hospital, since which time nothing was ever heard from him. The company immediately joined the regiment already on their march toward Staunton, arriving there about 4 P. M., a distance of twelve miles, being the first Union Infantry that had ever been there. We met with no resistance whatever, the Rebels having fled in another direction. We found several hundred of their sick and wounded here. The regiment went into camp one mile west of town. Dr. Brisbine, who had been promoted to Assistant Surgeon, joined the regiment while on the march. Before leaving here our troops destroyed the railroad depot, bridges, track and telegraph, in and near town.
We then started for Buffalo Gap, distant ten miles, marching in three columns, cavalry and artillery in the road, and a brigade of infantry on each side. We marched some five miles through woods and underbrush, then halted and in a short time returned, and went into the same camp we had occupied the night previous. An ambulance train was sent back to the battlefield after the wounded, returning late at night. Gen. Averill, with whom we were expecting to make a junction at this point, arrived with his command, making us, now, quite a formidable little army.
In the afternoon of June 7th, three hundred and fifty men and eight officers, under command of Capt. Chamberlin, were sent out to relieve the 28th Ohio, then doing picket duty. Part of the men were stationed on a hill where, just about a year before, they were permitted to rest for a few hours, when on their way to Richmond as prisoners of war. The contrast between their situation then and now was vividly appreciated by the boys.
On the 9th the regiment returned to camp, and shoes were issued to those of the men who needed them. The prisoners captured at Port Republic, were sent to the rear in charge of the 28th Ohio—whose term of service having expired—was going home. Here Chaplain Ferris resigned, his resignation being accepted at once; and he left for home with this return train. Our command left next morning, moving on three different roads, Averill on one, Crooks on another, and Hunter on the Lexington road. Our regiment marched in the rear as wagon guard. A very long and dusty march, passed through Greenville—where a large mill was destroyed—to Midway, a distance of eighteen miles, where we went into camp very tired. In a few moments company A was sent out as a support to a battery of artillery near the picket line, Saturday the 11th. We started at 5 A. M., drew rations of flour just as we left, but no time was allowed to prepare any of it; on this account, and the great heat and dust, the men became very much fatigued before night, and very many were compelled to fall back during the day. We marched seventeen miles to within sight of Lexington. We found Gen. Crooks here in advance and skirmishing with a small force of the enemy, who had burned the bridge over the river, and then scattered some sharpshooters along the shore, to harass our men, while constructing their pontoon bridge; but our troops soon drove them back with but small loss on our part. While this was being done, our division of infantry lay in position about two miles from town from 2 to 6 P. M. We then went into camp about half a mile from the river.
Next day we crossed the river and went into camp in the edge of town. Military Institute, which is located here, was destroyed. On the 13th we still remained in camp. Some canal-boats were captured with artillery and ammunition which were destroyed. Next morning we were early on the move again, and although it was extremely warm and dusty, we succeeded in making a distance of twenty-four miles to Buckannon. We passed within two miles of the natural bridge, but there was no time for hunting curiosities. Our march was along an old plank-road. The Rebels had endeavored to destroy many small bridges, and thus obstruct our progress; but we were so close on them, they succeeded in doing but little damage, until we reached Buckannon, where we found the bridge over the James River in ruins, and we were compelled to cross in canal barges. Two companies of the regiment were guarding prisoners, under command of Lieutenants Leonard and Keyes. Our “hard-tack” was all gone, and flour getting scarce, but fresh beef and mutton still plenty. The next day we were on the road about 9 A. M., and went to the edge of town, where we laid until after dinner, when we again started in the direction of Lynchburg. We crossed Otter Peak, a very high mountain, with a very narrow, rough road over it. In many places our way was obstructed by trees that had been felled across; undoubtedly done by Bushwhackers, for in one place there lay the dead body of one, who had been caught in the act and slain by our advance. We went into camp, for the night, at 9 o’clock, about halfway down the mountain.
The following morning we started at 5 o’clock, marched through Liberty to a point five miles beyond where we went into camp. While halting in the town, several men of the “5th Heavies” were pillaging a large dwelling house—in which the family were still residing—of pictures, books, and other articles that could be of no use to them. A squad of men from company A, were sent into the house with orders to clean them out at the point of the bayonet, which was promptly done. The 123d was all on picket again at night.
On the 17th we started as usual very early. After marching two miles, to the creek, we found the bridge burned, and had to wait some three hours for the Pontoon corps to repair damages. We then moved on through New London. Generals Crooks’ and Averill’s commands met the enemy, and had quite an engagement some three miles from Lynchburg. They drove the Rebels from two different positions, capturing some artillery and prisoners. We arrived at the front about dark, and relieved the advanced line. Company F was immediately sent out on the skirmish line. This morning a part of the wagon train was detached and sent to the rear. Two “One-Hundred-Day” regiments accompanied them as escort. We had marched twenty-four miles, and, it being very hot, many of the men gave out. On the morning of the 18th company F was relieved by company D, under command of Capt. Shawhan, the former having lost three killed, Sergeant Dunn, and Privates Kiehl and Savage, and six wounded. The Rebel skirmish line was composed of sharpshooters, many of whom were armed with long-range rifles, and stationed in tree-tops, doing severe execution. All night we could hear the trains running into Lynchburg, bringing reinforcements from Richmond, and the next morning skirmishing commenced at once, and fighting, to some extent, continued all day. Company D, while on the skirmish line, was under a sharp fire nearly all the time, which, however, resulted in no loss to them.
Company G had one man, private Stokely, wounded by the explosion of a shell. About dusk it was decided to fall back, and at 8 o’clock P. M., we commenced our retrograde movement; we marched all night, reaching Otter Creek the next morning, the 19th, after a very tedious and severe tramp; the boys being very much exhausted and needing rest, a great many dropping down by the side of the road, would fall asleep on the road, and it would be almost impossible to arouse them. We encamped two miles beyond Liberty, where we rested a couple of hours, and then moved on. While here our rear had some severe skirmishing with the enemy, who were endeavoring to harass our troops and cut off part of our train, but were repulsed and driven off. About 2 o’clock A. M., on the 20th, we rested a couple of hours, then moved on till 8 o’clock A. M., when we halted an hour for breakfast. While here Gen. Hunter, in person, asked for two companies of the regiment to destroy a large pile of wood and a water tank on the railroad near by, which was done effectually. We went into camp at noon, having marched forty five miles in forty hours and on very limited rations, in fact nothing but fresh beef and mutton. We had rested only a few moments when there was some skirmishing in our rear, and we were ordered to move forward again. We marched on all night, this being the third night without any sleep, through Conyer Springs and Big Lick to within one mile of Salem, arriving there on the morning of the 21st, where we found skirmishing again in progress; the Rebels endeavoring to get in our front. Two companies of our regiment were immediately sent out as skirmishers, but met no enemy. We rested there until 10 o’clock, when we moved on through Salem about two miles, where we found the enemy had attacked the train and captured sixteen pieces of artillery and some men, but being closely pressed only succeeded in disabling six pieces, taking none away with them. We then made a forced march of seven miles, which we did in one hour and twenty minutes, to overtake the train. We rested there two hours, and were highly complimented by Col. Wells, our brigade commander, for our close and rapid marching with no straggling. We moved on again at 4 o’clock P. M., marching on a regular “back and forth” road, over a mountain, and went into camp twelve miles from Salem, having marched twenty-four miles in twenty-four hours. Meat and coffee in small quantities were issued to the men at this point.
On the morning of the 22d we were ordered into line and maneuvered around some, but did not get fairly started until 1 o’clock P. M. We marched in the rear of the column all day, encamping at half past ten in a very stony field at New Castle Court House; just before arriving there we forded Craig’s creek three times. The men were completely jaded, many dropping down where they stood, when the regiment halted, and almost instantly falling asleep.
We were aroused at 2 o’clock for an early start, but were delayed by the wagon train until 9 A. M. Our entire brigade acted as train guard, one company to every ten wagons, and a heavy escort for the artillery. This was the hardest day’s march in our experience, not on account of its length, but that it was over three mountains—we were now crossing the Alleghanies—one of them being eleven miles over, and a portion of the time we had to march very rapidly to keep up with the train. Horses and mules were “playing out” in great numbers, and had to be pushed from the road, over the side of the mountain, in order that the train might pass. The weather continued very hot and dry, and the road very dusty; we made a halt of two hours at half past 10 in the evening, for coffee and mutton, nearly all being too tired to prepare it for eating; then on again for six miles, going into camp at half past 3 in the morning at Sweet Springs. We remained there until 4 P. M., when we started for “White Sulphur” Springs. The road was very rough, and the night quite dark, making this a very severe march; we arrived there at half past 3, the next morning, June 24th.